To the editor:
Your Feb. 17 Times editorial exhibits common sense about the proposed Gloucester Community Arts Charter School.
Adding a new school to our district will very likely mean closing one of our existing elementary schools. That's a significant step. Given this proposed school's history and recent track record, we should ask if that would be an acceptable price to pay.
The state Charter School Office, which has approved many school charters over the years, rejected the application for this one, saying, among other things, it was not clear that Amy Ballin, David Buchanan, Gordon Baird and their colleagues would be able to run a successful school and deliver on the promises made in their application.
The Gloucester Daily Times originally seemed to be one of the strongest supporters of their plan to open this school. Now even you don't think it should open.
As first reported in the Gloucester Daily Times, Secretary of Education Paul Reville believed he had to have school charter granted somewhere this year to support the governor's political agenda. After rejecting his other two options, he actually said in writing "that leaves Gloucester," and described opening this school as a "tough pill" to swallow.
Concerned parents should ask, if this were a medical clinic, would we want our children going there to swallow the tough pill?
PETER DOLAN
Mt. Pleasant Ave., Gloucester
